Securing internet connection after possible hack

hazel123 · 13 Oct 2016

So I think I was hacked recently and after doing umpteen scanning type things on laptop and installing various programs, it was suggested to me it could be via the wifi router. So I have changed the password on the wifi router and turned off WPS and Upnp. Right now though I would rather just use ethernet. I use my laptop in the room where the internet connection is so don't need wifi right now.

I'm trying to work out how to do this without using the router at all. I have an Asus NT-66-u wifi router and a TP-Link TD8817 modem. Can I just plug the ethernet cable into the phone socket? Or disconnect the Asus router and plug the ethernet cable directly into the TP-Link Modem. And how secure is the modem?

I don't really have time to be doing all this right now so just decided to use ethernet for a while and not sure which is the best way to do it. Usually I've just plugged the ethernet into the Asus router, but if that's turned off, presumably that won't work. Also it's so long since I set the modem up I have no idea how I did it or what any passwords are! The Asus seemed to take over.

Anyway - I'm guessing just plugging the ethernet into the phone socket won't be enough, so will try turning off wifi and Asus router and plugging into modem.

samuria · 13 Oct 2016

If you just use a modem your PC is live on the net so anyone can hack it a router used nat so you then get a local IP not a internet IP local can't be accessed from the net the net IP becomes the router not your PC. How do you think you were hacked?

Tranquil Hegemo · 13 Oct 2016

A bit of digging about and I think that your setup is as follows - ADSL line to the house where it connects to this router. That then connects to this access point which is used to access the internet via wifi or data cable. To answer your question then simply plugging a data cable from the PC to one of the yellow ports on the top should allow access to the internet. Also are you also looking to turn off the wireless capability or not?

Going a bit deeper into your question - assuming that your setup is as outlined above then should you wish to access the internet then you are going to need the router - its purpose is to allow you to do that. In short no router no internet and to access the internet then you are going to need the access point to get to connect to said router.

Lastly you mentioned that you think you have been hacked - IIRC from your other thread about this then it was a neighbour who seems to have far more knowledge of what you have written than seems likely\possible. Could you tell me what are the sources that you think have been compromised? Facebook, Email (web based such as Gmail etc) or something else? Just trying to get a better picture here to see where any possible issue might be.

hazel123 · 13 Oct 2016

Thank you! Yes that is the set up exactly. And as you say it didn't work disconnecting the Asus router and plugging ethernet into the TP-Link modem. So am back to the original set up and using ethernet and have turned off wifi lan switch on the laptop. What I wasn't sure was - even if I'm not using wifi and am using ethernet, presumably the Asus router is still broadcasting wifi - would that still be an issue?

It seems to be confidential things I have typed that have been accessed. The last time it was in word and something confidential I had written was known about and acted on within a couple of hours! Freaked me out. So I wrote a load of junk after that ha ha. Anyway - I had suspected something a few months ago and had keyscrambler personal on. Which scrambles internet typing but not in word. And I forgot and used Word. So thinking that was the issue I then scanned everything and installed Zemana, but from what I've looked up yesterday it seems wifi routers are quite easily hacked, so reckon sticking with ethernet is probably best for now. And have also unplugged the wifi printer which seemed to have its own ssid.

Anyway I guess that's the best I can do for now although suggestions gratefully received. Email could be compromised I guess. Kind of makes you a bit paranoid. So if the Asus router is still broadcasting wifi is that still an issue? Even if I'm using ethernet connection.

Tranquil Hegemo · 13 Oct 2016

Potentially it is still an issue as the WIFI will be on the same network as the LAN (ethernet connection) but we will get to that in a minute.

First question - have you changed the default router password to something secure? If not I would suggest reading up on creating secure passwords and do that in the first instance. If you have the option to change the user name as well then do that as well. It goes without saying that you should make a note of the new user names and passwords

Write them down on a piece of paper if you wish or use something like Keepass to keep a note of them.

With regard to securing it down further - it depends on how you use your WIFI really - do you have friends who connect to your WIFI when they call round? Do you use WIFI yourself to connect a phone\tablet to? Let me know the answers and I will read the manual\dig about and see what is possible.

One last thing - after you had written whatever it was in the Word doc did you do anything with it afterwards such as email it to someone?

hazel123 · 13 Oct 2016

Thank you. Yes I changed router username and password - and a long password with mixed characters. No-one connects to our wifi - we have two laptops, a netbook and an ipod touch that connect to it (plus the HP Printer and a plug in wifi extender on the landing (unplugged that before re-setting router and changing password and username). I didn't email the word document, just typed it and saved it. But it has occurred to me that if I was hacked my email password needs changing, so have done that.

Actually when I disconnected/turned off the Asus router and connected the laptop with ethernet cable directly to the TP_Link router, although I couldn't connect via the router, I was able to set up a broadband connection, which required me to sign in each time, as another poster mentioned above, without the router, it removes the level of security.

Is there any way to turn off wifi on the router page, and still use the router for ethernet? We're moving in a couple of weeks so it'll be less of an issue but I could do without the hassle right now to make sure we get moved on time! And without issues.

Having said no-one connects to our wifi (ie no-one has the network key or signs into it, as far as I know!) the neighbours are in an adjoining house and our phone/internet line runs across their wall into our house.

torchwood · 13 Oct 2016

All routers have an option to be Ethernet only.
punch in 192.168.0.1 (or 0 depending on make), in your browser location bar
This will take you to your router settings options
login ~Usually Admin >> password on side of router, unless youve changed it, default tends to be 12345
Then make it ethernet only.

Roy

hazel123 · 13 Oct 2016

Thanks! Will that make it more secure using the router? ie will the wifi just not be there at all? Sorry if that's a noddy question lol. I can sign into the router page ok - have recently changed username and password - but I didn't see any way of setting it to ethernet only.

torchwood · 13 Oct 2016

Hazel,
Who's the ISP
Virgin BT Sky Talk.

Roy
me im a Virgi

n

Tranquil Hegemo · 13 Oct 2016

The WIFI is on the ASUS access point not the router so that is why you aren't seeing any options in there to go ethernet only. I will dig out the manual for the access point tomorrow and post a new reply with my findings once I have had a chance to look that over.

Given that you have other devices connecting to the WIFI I will be looking to turn off the WIFI SSID advertisement (so it in effect the WIFI becomes invisible) and changing the password for the WIFI access (assuming that there is one set of course). That should be adequate security for what you have described especially since you are moving in a couple of weeks.

With regard to where the cable runs - I would be very surprised if the neighbours decided to physically tap the cable or sniff every packet that goes back and forth on your internet connection. If they did go down that route getting the actual information that they wanted would be time consuming to say the least. Of course it is not impossible but there are easier ways of getting such information hence why I was asking what you had done with the Word doc afterwards. It is an awful lot easier to hack an email account...